Headlight for locomotives.



No. 854,876. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907i 'W. H. DONA-LDSON. HEADLIGHT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED AUGA, 1906. v

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

WILLIAM H. DONALDSON, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

HEADLIGHT FOR LOOOIVIOTlVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed August 4,1906. Serial No. 329,243.

the headlight being obtained by means located in the cab where it will be convenient for the engineer.

Thus constructing the headlight renders it advantageous in a number of-important respects. In approaching a curve the engineer may by throwing the light to the right or left see the curve before running upon it and thus be enabled to slow down his train if the curve be sharp enough to require it. If the country be mountainous and there be danger of a landslide or rocks falling upon the roadbed, the engineer may carefully inspect the track ahead whatever be its conformation. If the track'follow a stream and there is danger of a washout or there is a bridge ahead that it is desirable to see before crossing, the engineer will be enabled to keep a careful lookout and govern himself accordingly, bringing the train to a stop or slowing it down as occasion may require.

The lantern is so constructed. that it may be turned at least about 95 to the right or 95 to the left, which enables the light to be darkened by simply turning it so that it faces to one side or the other, but it may be turned 180 to the left or to the right if desired.

The rules of all railroads of any magnitude require that the headlight be hooded or darkened when the locomotive is standing on a side-track waiting for a train to pass, the object of this being to avoid confusing the engineer on the approaching train. This is now generally accomplished by the engineer or fireman walking forward and placing a cover over the front of the lantern and then after the train is passed to go forward again and remove the cover. With my device the hooding can be done instantly and effectually by the engineer without leaving his cab.

A further advantage is that a passing train may inspect a train at a station or on a side-track and obtain the number of the locomotive and other information regarding it without slowing down, whereas with the headlights as now universally employed it is necessary for the passing train to slow down its speed materially and even then sometimes pass in doubt. v

This invention is also highly useful on yard engines employed for switching cars back and forth in the yards, in that the engineer can by throwing the light to the right or to the left while passing up and down the yard inspect the cars and thus locate a large num- -ber of the cars and relieve the yard-men of the necessity of walking back and forth in the yards and inspecting the cars with hand lanterns.

Again my construction greatly facilitates lighting the lantern while a wind is blowing as the lantern can be turned with its back to the Wind and thus form a shield and permit the lamp to be lighted without trouble, whereas with the stationary headlights now universally employed it is a matter'of great difficulty to light the lamps while a strong wind is blowing. The invention has further important advantages which will suggest themselves to persons experienced in railway matters.

In the annexed drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive showing my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 a plan View of the forward portion of the same; Fig. 3 a plan view of the support with the headlight proper and its base plate removed; Fig. 4 a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a perspective view of the headlight support, the parts thereof being vertically separated to better show the construction and arrangement thereof; and Fig. 6 a detail per-' spective viewof the controlling and locking device in thecab. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showin a slight modification.

Referring to t e drawing by reference-letters, A designates a sheet metal base plate which is adapted to be bolted down to the usual bracket in front of the smokestack, and B is a circular casing or ring adapted to be fastened down upon the base A, the fastening means in the present instance con sisting of crossed bars '1) Whose ends project beyond the casing and are bolted down to the base plate.

Rising from the bars 5 where they cross in the center of the casin is a vertical sleeve b, and extending down t%IOugll this sleeve is a IIO journal pin 0 which depends from the center of an upper casing or ring 0, which fits down on the outside of the casing B. The pin 0 is prevented from rising out of the sleeve bearing by means of a lock pin 0;, and this pin 0 is carried by a pair of crossed bars 0 which extend across and are fastened to the casing C, the ends of these bars projecting beyond the casing to serve as ears for bolting the casing to a plate E, which covers the upper side of the casing and affords a base or platform to which the lantern F is securely bolted.

it As thus constructed the lantern is mounted on a vertical aXis which permits it to be turned freely both to the right and to the left. Within the casing formed by the telescoping rings or casings B and C, is confined a suitable spring whose normal tendency is to swing the lantern around toward the left so that if left free to rotate it will face backwardly. One end of this spring S is attached to the sleeve 1) and the other, outer end is attached to-the casing C through the medium of a projection sand a hole 0 formed in one of the crossed bars 0. Any other form of spring may be employed if desired, as is obvious.

A suitable wire or other cord D is fastened at c to the casing C and carried around the exterior of the same and then rearward to the cab where it is connected to suitable means for pulling it rearward and locking it in its adjusted positions. This rope or cord is provided with a turn-buckle at 66 whereby it may be kept taut. The device I employ for pulling the rope consists of a semi-circular sheave G provided in its periphery with a groove 9 and attached to a lever H, the lever and sheave being pivoted on a pin 7c which is supported in a bracket K, this bracket being provided with a toothed semi-circular rack Ir which co-operates with a hand-controlled pawl or bolt carried by the lever H. The rope D is attached to the sheave G at g and. as the lever is pulled backward the rope falls in the groove 9 in the sheave, so that a direct rearward pull is exerted upon the rope irrespective of the position of the lever. In the drawing I have shown the bracket K fastened to the forward wall of the cab but it is obvious that it may be located in any other convenient position in the cab and that if it be so located that the pull-rope cannot pass directly to the groove in the sheave, one or more pulleys may be employed to deflect the rope to the desired point.

Projecting forwardly and rearwardly from both the outer part 0 of the casing and the inner part B thereof are flanges lettered respectively c and 6 which bear upon each other and thereby serve to afford a broader bearing for the headlight when it is pointed directly forward. The object of this is to relieve the parts of undue strain when the locomotive is jarred in coupling up. These bracing lugs are provided with correspomling holes which permit them to be used to loek the lantern against turning by simply passing down through the holes a nail or a piece of wire in case the rope D or any of the other parts become broken or deranged and it is therefore necessary to lock the lantern so that it shall point directly ahead until the parts are repaired. It will be observed that in case any of the parts except the spring become broken, the spring will instantly reverse the headlight so that the relleetor shall throw the light backwardly, thus imtilying the engineer that something is wrong.

It will be observed also that the eonstruetion I have devised is exceedingly simple and inexpensive and involves the employment of but a single connecting member between the headlight and the controlling mechanism in the cab.

In Fig. 7 the interfitting rings C and B are shown with their edges rabbeted or shouldered, which construction is probably preterable for the reason that the lower ring will directly support the upper ring.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same without attempting to define all the forms in which it may be embodied or all the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim is 1. In combination with a locomotive, of a headlight mounted thereon so as to swivel laterally, a spring normally tending to turn the headlight in one direction out of normal, and a connection controlled from the cab for adjusting the headlight laterally in the oppo site direction against the action of the spring.

2. In combination with a locomotive, of a headlight journaled on the forward part thereof so as to swivel laterally, a spring normally tending to turn the headlight in one direction out of normal, a pull-rope extending from the headlight into the cab and arranged so that pulling on the rope swings the headlight against the action of its spring, and means in the cab for pulling and adjustably holding the rear end of the pull-rope against the pulling tendency of the spring.

3. Incombination with a locomoth e, of a swiveled headlight thereon, spring means tending to reverse the headlight, and a pullrope extending from the headlight to the rah, a rack in the cab, a pivoted lever carrying a locking bolt adapted to engage into said rack, this lever carrying a grooved sheave or eam. to which the rear end of the rope is attached, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a locomotive of a headlight and a support therefor, said support embodying a pair of interlitting rings or casings rotatably mounted one upon the other, a spring within the casing formed by these interlitting casings and tending to normally reverse the headlight, a pull-rope attached to the outer ring or casing and extending forward to the cab, and means in the cab for pulling the rope and holding it in its adjusted positions.

5. In combination with a locomotive, of a headlight and support therefor, said support embodying a pair of interfitting rings or casings rotatably engaging each other, one being fastened to the locomotive and the other to the bottom of the headlight and each casing being provided fore and aft with a lateralflange or lug provided with a hole, the ears or lugs carriedby the upper ring lying upon the lugscarried by the lower ring, for the purpose set forth, a spring within the casing formed by said interfitting rings and tending to normally reverse the headlight, and means controlled from the cab for adjusting the headlight against the action of its spring.

6. In combination with a locomotive, of a headlight'and a pivotal support therefor, a depending drum adapted to rotate with the light, a spring inclosed in this drum and connected up so as to normally tend to reverse the headlight, a pull-rope fastened to this drum and wound around the same and extended rearwardly to the cab, and means in the cab for pulling the rope or paying it out and looking it, for the purpose set forth.

7. In combination with a locomotive, of a headlight and support therefor, said support embodying a pair of rings or casings rotatably engaging each other, one being fastened to the locomotive and the other to the bottom of the headlight and each casing being provided fore and aft with a lateral flange or lug, the flanges or lugs carried by the upper ring lying upon the lugs carried by the lower ring, for the purpose set forth, a spring within the casing formed by said rings and tending to normally reverse the headlight, and means controlled from the cab for adjusting the headlight against the action of its spring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 28th day of July, 1906.

, WILLIAM H. DONALDSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. WHITE, MARGARET MORIARTY. 

